Filing-drawer.



G. E. FLANDERS. FILING DRAWER.

APPLICATION FILED JAN. 20, 1910.

982,262. Patented Jan.24,1911.

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FILING DRAWER. APPLIUATION FILED JAN. 20; 1910.

Patented J an. 24, 1911.

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gwvamboz wi/tvwoow UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

CHARLES ELMER FLANDERS, OF BROOKFIELD, MASSACHUSETTS, ASSIGNOR OF ONE HALF TO GEORGE N. WATERMAN, OF BROOKFIELD, MASSACHUSETTS.

FILING-DRAWER.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, CHARLES ELMER FLANnEns, a citizen of the United States, residing at Brookfield, in the county of lVorcester and State of Massachusetts, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Filing-Drawers; and I do declare the following to be a full, clear, and exact description of the invention, such as will enable others skilled in the art to which it appertains to make and use the same.

This invention relates to improvements in filing drawers.

One object of the invention is to provide means whereby the papers in the drawer are brought to the top of the latter and in full view of the operator, thus permitting the indexed follower cards to be readily opened or separated at the proper place and the desired paper obtained or brought to view.

Another object is to provide means whereby the upper followers and papers may be held up or supported when separated at the desired place.

WVith the foregoing and other objects in view, the invention consists of certain novel features of construction, combination and arrangement of parts as will be more fully described and particularly pointed out in the appended claims.

In the accompanying drawings, Figure 1 is a plan view of a filing drawer constructed in. accordance with the invention; Fig. 2 is a central vertical longitudinal section of the same; Fig. 3 is a vertical cross section on the line 3-3 of Fig. 1 looking toward the front end of the drawer; Fig. 4F. is a central vertical longitudinal section showing the papers in elevated position; Fig. 5 is a simi lar view showing the followers and the papers separated at the desired place and the upper papers held up or supported in raised position; Fig. 6 is a similar view showing the upper followers and papers held up and the lower papers let down to the bottom of the drawer; Fig. 7 is a ver tical longitudinal sectional view showing a modified arrangement of the drawer wherein the follower cards are held in position.

Referring more particularly to the drawings, 1 denotes the drawer or receptacle to which my improvements are applied and in which is arranged a lower supporting card or false bottom 2 and a series of spacing or Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Jan. 24, 1911.

Serial No. 539,070.

follower cards 3, said follower cards being preferably indexed at their forward ends as shown.

In the use of the drawer or receptacle, the letters or papers are filed in alphabetical order between the indexed follower cards in the usual manner. The lower supporting card 2 is provided on its front end with a centrally disposed wear plate l, said plate being preferably of circular form and bent upon itself to engage the upper and lower sides of the supporting card as shown and to which it is secured by indenting or in any other suitable manner. In addition to the wear plate 4, the lower supporting card 2 is provided with card retaining arms 5 which are preferably formed from the upwardly bent ends of a strip of metal 6, riveted or otherwise secured to the lower side of the supporting card 2 adjacent to its front end as shown.

Revolubly mounted in the front end of the drawer or receptacle 1 is a shaft or spindle 7 on the outer end of which is secured a milled operating knob 8, and on the end of which is rigidly secured a follower elevating disk 9. At a suitable position on the outer edge of the disk 9 is formed a right angular operating finger 10, which projects beneath the wear plate 4 of the fol lower supporting card 2, whereby when said spindle and disk are turned by the knob 8 said finger will engage the wear plate 4 and raise the front end of the supporting card 2 and the follower cards thereon to the surface of the drawer or receptacle, thereby affording ready access to said cards whereby they may be separated to bring into view the desired letter or paper.

In order to limit the rotary movement of the disk 9 to stop the latter when the finger 10 has been brought to its highest or lowest position in raising and lowering cards, I preferably provide said disk with a semicircular slot 11, which is formed therein adj acent to its outer end as shown. Adapted to be engaged with the slot 11 is a stop pin 12 arranged in the front end of the drawer and projecting inwardly from the inner side thereof, said pin being arranged in a hori zontal plane with the center of the disk, and spaced from said center a suitable distance to engage the slot 11 as shown. The opposite ends of the slot 11 are diametrically opposite to the center of the disk, while the ward ends of the follower cards and papers have been elevated to the top of the drawer or receptacle by the disk 9 and finger 10 and the follower cards separated at the proper place, the upper or separated cards may be held above the lower ser1es of cards by means of a card supporting device comprising a bail-shaped bar or frame 18, the opposite ends of which are nivotally secured to the inner sides of the drawer as shown at 11 whereby said bar or frame may be swung upwardly and rearwardly beneath the raised or separated cards and papers after which said raised cards may be let down onto the frame and thus supported or held above the lower series of cards, thus dispensing with the necessity of the operator holding the lifted or separated cards in an elevated position while reading or copying the uppermost paper or letter on the lower series of cards. The bar or frame 13 is held in a raised or lowered position by means of stop pins 15 arranged on the inner sides of the sides of the drawer or cabinet and adapted to be engaged by the inner ends of the bar or frame as clearly shown in Figs. 5 and 6 of the drawing.

When in an inoperative position, the bar or frame 13 lies immediately below the upper edge of the front end of the drawer or receptacle with the cross piece of said frame engaging the recess 16 formed in the inner side of the upper edge of the front end of the drawer. In order to readily lift the frame or bar 13 to an operative position, I provide a finger piece or lug 17 which is secured to the upper edge of one of the end pieces of the frame and which, when the latter is in an inoperative position, is engaged with a notch 18 formed in the upper edge of the adjacent side piece of the drawer as shown. The side piece of the drawer immediately below the notch 18 is recessed or cut away to facilitate the engagement of the lug by the finger. In order to increase the distance between the upper lifted cards and papers when held up by the bar or frame 13, the lower series of followers and papers may be let down to the bottom of the drawer or receptacle by reversing the raising movement of the disk 9 and finger 10. By thus lowering the lower series of followers and papers, the uppermost paper or letter may be more readily observed.

In Fig. 7 of the drawings is shown a slightly modified arrangement of the device wherein the false bottom or lower supporting card is provided near its inner end with upwardly projecting standards or posts 19 which are engaged by the inner ends of the indexed follower cards, the latter being provided with apertures or holes 20 to receive the posts 19, whereby said indexed cards will be held in place on the false bottom or lower supporting card.

From the foregoing description taken in connection with the accompanying drawings, the construction and operation of the invention will be readily understood without requiring a more extended explanation.

Various changes in the form, proportion and the minor details of construction may be resorted to without departing from the principle or sacrificing any of the advantages of this invention as defined in the appended claims.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim is 1. In a filing receptacle, a false bottom or supporting card, a series of indexed follower cards, arranged on said false bottom and revoluble means mounted in said receptacle and provided with a finger extending under said false bottom, said. finger being operable on the revolution of said means to lift the forward end of said false bottom and follower cards to the surface of the receptacle.

2. In a filing receptacle, a false bottom, a series of follower cards arranged on said bottom, a shaft revolubly mounted in said receptacle, a disk fixed on the inner end of said shaft, a lifting finger extending laterally from said disk and adapted to engage the lower face of said false bottom when the disk is turned in one direction whereby said bottom-and cards will be lifted to the surface of the receptacle.

8. In a filing receptacle, a false bottom or supporting card, a series of follower cards arranged on said false bottom, a shaft revolubly mounted in the receptacle, 2. disk fixed on the inner end of said shaft, an elevating finger formed on said disk and adapted to engage beneath said false bottom whereby when the disk is turned by said shaft said false bottom and follower cards will be lifted to the surface of the receptacle, and means to limit the movement of said disk in either direction.

4. In a filing receptacle, a false bottom, a series of indexed follower cards arranged on said bottom, means to lift the forward end of said bottom and the cards to the surface of the receptacle, and means for holding the follower cards above said false bottom.

5. In a filing receptacle, a false bottom, a series of indexed follower cards arranged on said bottom, means to raise the forward end of said bottom and cards to the surface of the receptacle, a card supporting frame pivotally mounted in said drawer and adapted to be. swung upwardly to support said cards above the false bottom when the latter is in a raised or lower position.

6. In a filing receptacle, a false bottom, a series of indexed follower cards arranged on said bottom, means to raise the forward end of said bottom and cards to the surface of the receptacle, a card supporting frame pivotally mounted in said drawer and adapted to be swung upwardly to support said cards above the false bottom when the latter is in a raised or lowered position, and means to hold said frame in an operative position to support the cards.

7. In a filing receptacle, a false bottom, a shaft revolubly mounted in the drawer, an operating knob on the outer end of said shaft, a disk fixedly mounted on the inner end of the shaft, said disk having formed therein a segmental slot, an elevating finger formed on said disk and adapted to engage the lower side of said false bottom whereby when the disk is turned in one direction or the other said bottom will be raised and lowered, and a stop pin adapted to engage the slot in said disk whereby the movement of the latter is limited.

8. In a filing receptacle, a false bottom, a series of indexed follower cards arranged on said bottom, card retaining arms arranged on said bottom to hold said follower cards in position, a revolubly mounted card elevating disk, means to turn said disk in opposite directions, a finger formed on said disk to engage said false bottom whereby when the disk is turned said bottom and the follower cards thereon will be raised and lowered, a wear plate on said false bottom with which said finger is engaged when said bottom is raised and lowered, and means whereby said follower cards may be held above said false bottom.

9. In a filing receptacle, a false bottom, a series of indexed follower cards arranged on said bottom, means to raise the forward ends of said false bottom and cards to the surface of said receptacle, a card supporting frame pivotally mounted in said drawer and adapted to be swung upwardly to support said cards above the false bottom when the latter is in a raised or lowered position, means to facilitate the raising and lowering of said supporting frame, and means to hold the latter in an operative position to support the cards.

In testimony whereof I have hereunto set my hand in presence of two subscribing witnesses.

CHARLES ELMER FLANDERS.

Witnesses GEORGE A. DRURY, GEORGE H. CHAPIN. 

